Cape Town secures additional R2.8bn in infrastructure finance

The City of Cape Town has secured R2.8-billion in infrastructure funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Cape Town aims to spend R39.5-billion on infrastructure from July this... 

Challenging trade environment dents Grindrod’s profit

Grindrod encountered a “very challenging environment” in the first six months of the year, says CEO Xolani Mbambo. “It’s been difficult.” 

N3 freeway truck chargers MoU signed

Zero Carbon Logistics (Zero CL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany to be the technology provider for its proposed off-grid electric truck... 

New-vehicle sales finally tick upwards

Total new-vehicle sales in July inched up by 1.5%, to 44 229 units, compared with the same month last year, driven by an improvement in the passenger-car market. July was only the second month,... 

Electric SUV under R400 000 launched

Pretoria-based importer and distributor of battery electric vehicles (EVs) Enviro Automotive has launched the Dayun Yuehu S5 mini sports-utility vehicle (SUV) in South Africa. The 3.6 m S5 is... 

Golden Arrow to acquire 120 electric buses from BYD

Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) has signed a deal to acquire 120 electric buses from Chinese automotive powerhouse BYD, following four years of testing. Delivery of the 65-seater units... 

Ignis Fire Testing opens its new, expanded fire-testing facility in Cape Town

Ignis Fire Testing has unveiled its new fire-testing workshop and laboratory in Blackheath, Cape Town. Owner Dirk Streicher says the new building, at 1 200 m2, and with an 18-m-high roof, is more... 

Ogihara SA breaks ground on new R1.2bn auto body-part plant in Durban

CFAO South Africa (SA) subsidiary Toyota Tsusho Africa, and Ogihara Thailand, have started construction of a new R1.2-billion plant that will produce vehicle body parts for Toyota South Africa... 

Six dealerships in hot water with the consumer commission

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has referred six car dealerships to the National Consumer Tribunal (tribunal) for adjudication. The NCC received complaints from consumers alleging that these... 

British International Investment, DP World to build deepwater container port in the DRC

British International Investment (BII) says it has committed up to $35-million for the construction of the initial phase of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) first deepwater container... 

Cape Town launches live tracking of water, sanitation snags

Cape Town has unveiled a new pump station control room, which digitally tracks the live performance of water and sanitation infrastructure.                     The control room is already helping... 

Mercedes-Benz Vans launches the electric Sprinter in South Africa

Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa (MBVSA) has launched the fully electric Sprinter (eSprinter) panel van in the local market. The eSprinter is available in standard- and long-wheel base, with pricing... 

Sanral announces start of new R2.2bn phase on the N2 Wild Coast Road project

South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) CEO Reginald Demana has announced the start of Package 4 of the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) project in the Eastern Cape. The R2.2-billion phase... 

PRASA terminates Matthews’ contract; sticks with Emeran as CEO

The board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has terminated Zolani Matthews’ employment with immediate effect. PRASA fired Matthews as CEO in 2021 for his failure to disclose the... 

What auto industry wants from government to keep the wheels turning

South Africa’s seventh administration has taken office amidst a flagging domestic economy desperately seeking traction. The automotive industry, South Africa’s biggest manufacturing industry, has... 

What auto industry wants from government to keep the wheels turning

South Africa’s seventh administration has taken office amidst a flagging domestic economy desperately seeking traction. The automotive industry, South Africa’s biggest manufacturing industry, has... 

New R3.2bn private higher education campus on the cards for Akademia

Privately owned, Afrikaans, Christian higher education institution Akademia has announced the development of a R3.2-billion campus in Pretoria East. The campus will be developed by real estate... 

WesBank expands portfolio to include residential solar finance

WesBank has added residential solar finance to its portfolio, extending its product mix beyond vehicle and leisure finance products. The new addition gives personal clients in South Africa access... 

New truck booking solution trialled at Durban; RBay to increase coal train frequency

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and transporters aim to pilot a solution this week that could assist with the current chaotic truck booking system at the Durban Container Terminal (DCT), following an... 

Golden Arrow, Eskom sign memorandum of cooperation on electric buses

Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) and power utility Eskom have signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) which sets out the terms for ongoing engagement related to GABS’ planned introduction of... 

Cape Town to launch constitutional challenge if Public Procurement Bill is gazetted

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa not to gazette the new Public Procurement Bill into law, as the city believes it will slow down local service delivery and... 

Cape Town wants GNU to give it more policing powers, right to run passenger rail and more

The City of Cape Town’s top requests to the Government of National Unity (GNU) are for municipal police to have the powers to investigate crime; the devolvement of passenger rail to the city; the... 

Vayu Robotics launches autonomous delivery robot in the US, signs deal for 2 500 units

California-based Vayu Robotics has announced the real-world deployment of an autonomous on-road delivery robot. The robot, combining AI models with low-cost sensing, is being rolled out in the US... 

Egypt woos Volkswagen with body shop, assembly-line deal

In a new strategic cooperation agreement, Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) and the government of Egypt will conduct a feasibility study on the construction of a body shop and assembly buildings in the... 

Auto industry hopeful as new-vehicle sales finally tick upwards

Total new-vehicle sales in July inched up by 1.5%, to 44 229 units, compared with the same month last year, driven by an improvement in the passenger-car market. July were only the second month,... 

Balancell expands plant tenfold, seeks govt backing for energy storage industry

Energy storage company Balancell is moving into a new R80-million factory in Ndabeni, Cape Town, as the business gears up to grow its capacity roughly tenfold, says chief commercial officer Ian... 

Crestcare’s new R238m private hospital in Malmesbury to create employment for 170 people

The Crestcare Hospital Group has cut the ribbon on its newest development, the R238-million acute hospital in the Western Cape town of Malmesbury. Crestcare’s majority shareholder is black-owned... 

Hyundai targets fourth sales spot

Hyundai has set itself the goal to return to fourth position (in terms of market share) in the combined passenger and light commercial vehicle market, says Hyundai Automotive South Africa (Hyundai... 

Kia South Africa’s new CEO seeks to push market share beyond 5% by 2026

Kia South Africa has appointed Paul Turnbull as its new CEO. Turnbull joins the Korean brand from sibling Hyundai Automotive South Africa. He succeeds Gary Scott, who takes up the position of chief... 

Hino sees new 700 Series boosting sales in the extra-heavy market

Hino South Africa (SA) says its new 700 Series range has bumped up the company’s sales in the extra-heavy segment significantly in its first year on showroom floors. From July 2022 to June 2023... 

Mercedes-Benz’s hydrogen trucks start customer trials in Germany

Daimler Truck has started the first customer trials of its hydrogen-powered Mercedes-Benz GenH2 trucks in Germany. A total of five units will enter the fleets of Air Products, Amazon, Holcim, Ineos... 

Golden Arrow to acquire 120 electric buses from BYD

Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) has signed a deal to acquire 120 electric buses from Chinese automotive powerhouse BYD, following four years of testing. Delivery of the 65-seater units... 

Enviro Automotive launches electric SUV at under R400 000

Pretoria-based importer and distributor of battery electric vehicles (EVs), Enviro Automotive, has launched the Dayun Yuehu S5 mini sports-utility vehicle (SUV) in South Africa. The 3.6-m S5 is... 

Daimler SA appoints new Mercedes-Benz Buses GM

Following the promotion of Jason Brunninger as the new head of sales and marketing for coaches in North America, Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) has appointed Deon de Vries as the new GM for... 

Zero Carbon Logistics signs MoU with China’s Sany on N3 truck chargers

Zero Carbon Logistics (Zero CL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany to be the technology provider for its proposed off-grid electric truck... 

Vayu Robotics launches autonomous delivery robot in the US, signs deal for 2 500 units

California-based Vayu Robotics this week announced the real-world deployment of an autonomous on-road delivery robot. The robot, combining AI models with low-cost sensing, is being rolled out in... 

‘Unconscionable’ to return allocated money instead of fixing potholes – Creecy

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says “immediate attention” will be given to the “critical issue” of the underspending of funding allocated to road maintenance and road construction by both... 

Half of China’s NEV brands likely to fail, exports poised for steep growth

More than 130 brands are currently competing in China’s new-energy vehicle (NEV) market, says GlobalData Automotive Division China operations manager John Zeng. Three brands, however, dominate the... 

Give us more policing power and the right to run passenger rail, Cape Town asks GNU

The City of Cape Town’s top requests for the Government of National Unity (GNU) are for municipal police to have the powers to investigate crime; the devolvement of passenger rail to the city; the... 

Shoprite group rolls out electricity wheeling at a third site

The Shoprite retail group has started wheeling renewable electricity at its home office in Brackenfell, Cape Town, making it the company’s third site to implement this energy solution. Wheeling...